Full Print Edition

New Council Chambers

Some residents may look at the renovations planned for the Peter McCrarren Memorial Chamber as an unnecessary expense of $30,000 at this time especially with state aid down.

However, we agree with elected officials to spend the money..

The new Chamber will reflect the historic governmental change that has happened in our city as we go from 27 elected members of the Board of Aldermen and Common Council to just 11 Councilors.

In the early 1990’s, in the neighboring City of Chelsea, as it was emerging from state receivership, monies were spent by the receiver to completely re-do the Aldermanic Chambers that in essence had the same number of elected officials as it did before receivership.

The rational behind the thinking of spending money to redo the Chelsea Chamber was that it would reflect the change in the City Government and signal a new day for the citizens.

Likewise Everett will have a new government in January. The number of elected officials will be reduced to 11 Common Councilors. To keep a formal setting that was made for 18 would look unprofessional.

For prospective developers,seeing the Chamber remain unchanged would send out the wrong signal that Everett is not going forward but backward.